Fashion notes: Get the best out of luxury sportswear

It isn’t surprising that the shell suit was recently voted the worst fashion item of the past 50 years (closely followed by dungarees, the jumpsuit and shoulder pads). For those that need a reminder, the accused came in the form of a lightweight (highly flammable, I may add) nylon tracksuit, consisting of a zip-front jacket and matching elasticated trousers. To add insult to insult, they often bore flashy fluorescent panels on what seemed like an outbreak of pearlised pastels.

As with most sportswear trends, the movement started out as purely functional – high-performance wear for elite athletes. Who knows how these things transcend – call it a blip in taste, but somehow, rather quickly, what we had on our hands was a super-trend for the masses, whose only exercise routine involved walking to the nearest fish-and-chip shop.

What I’m trying to demonstrate is that it’s often the trends that seemingly appear overnight that we need to approach with much trepidation. In the world of fashion, where inspirations are often inexplicable, we need to learn how to take from the trend what will work for us. Take luxury sportswear – sportswear basics re-imagined in luxe materials – as a current example. Like it or not, it’s unapologetically on a winning streak.

Hopefully, we’ve learnt to negotiate a little this time around; to read between the lines rather than emulate – for its influences will, thankfully, no longer be so barefaced.

The spring/summer 2014 collections have redefined our preconceived notions of sports apparel. Conditions are certainly more refined – luxurious fabrics such as silk, leather and beaded chiffon used to counterbalance the relaxed silhouette.

Dedicated players came out of the woodwork from even the most serious of design houses – liquid-lamé tracksuit trousers and laser-cut T-shirts were seen at Gucci, while DKNY offered an array of logo-­laden outerwear, and Marc by Marc Jacobs brought satin running shorts to the runway. There was also a fair amount of literal referencing at play, directly replicating sports uniforms. Tommy Hilfiger played with tennis skirts, while Alexander Wang offered a series of basketball shorts for his collection at Balenciaga. Meanwhile, Prada’s football socks took us straight back to schooldays.

If you’re excited but overwhelmed by the thought of wrestling into glittery athletic shorts, then sweatshirts in a good-quality jersey offer a more grown-up way to tackle things, as will off-the-shoulder fine knits, cut-outs or stripes. Opt for joggers in a buttery soft leather, silk bombers and the obligatory grey marl T-shirt – quality fabric choices will help take the look far from its cheerleader tendencies.

As with most trends, the use of clever accessorising – elastic belts, football socks or high-top trainers – makes for a good start. As will old-school references, such as hoods, racer backs and three-quarter-length trousers. Try mixing your fabrics: a leather shoulder on a good-quality cotton T-shirt looks great, as does a sleeve detail or a trim – and these also make it more suitable to wear through the day.

Misinterpretation is often a hard pill to swallow, but that’s the nature of fashion, and a careful reminder of the importance of investing in timeless pieces. Iconic leisurewear is one of those trends with rules. The key? Not to see too much of it. This time around, we need to think runway rather than running track. You don’t need to look like you’ve just stepped off a podium; you want to make it excessively clear that you’ve not been anywhere near one.

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